Magnetic floor sweeper



Patented Sept. 2, 1947 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l2,4%,":95 y MAGNETIC FLOOR swEEPER Robert L. Sjostrom, Andover, Mass. Application October 11, 1945, Serial No. 621,744

The present invention relates to a device for picking up magnetizable scraps or small pieces as, for instance, nuts, screws or bolts, filings, lath chips, and other magnetic scraps or dust which may be on floors or benches or the like.

The present in vention'is Operated in a very simple fashion. It is only necessary to roll the machine onthe floor. The particles of magnetizable material will be drawn up to the machine and held in place until they are dumped by raising of a lever, as will be described in the specification below. No electrical connections are needed for the machine and therefore there is no need of providing cables which would otherwise make Operation more difficult and less practical.

The present invention will be more fully understood inA connection with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the same in which:

Figure 1 shows a view of the invention in sectional elevation.

Figure 2 shows an` end view ofA the machine as -The frame so formed is covered by asheet of `non-magnetic material?, such as a sheet of plywood which may rest and be fastened to a shoulder. or 'flange 4 running around vthe'edge of the frame. -The opening 2 faces the surface which is to be swept over, such as a floor, on which the machine rests by virtue of rollers or casters 5, 6 and 1. The casters should be loW or should be so set that the opening 2 is substantially adjacent the floor surface. 'I'his may be accomplished by using small casters or by mounting the casters on fa bracket extending from the frame, as indicated in Figure 3.

Hinged at the back end of the frame by means of a hinge 8 is a cover 9 of non-magnetic material such as aluminium, plastic or the like in which onev or more permanent magnets I may be retained by suitable means such as bolts Il. .The machine isvalso provided with a handle I2 rig- 'idly'v secured to the back of the Aframe by means of the bracket I3. On the handle is mounted. a lever I 4 .pivoted at I5. Attached to the lever I4 is achain I6 which extends from the lever to the forward'part of the cover 9 where it is attached `by means of a post I1.

'I'he operation of the device is extremely sim- Y ple. The machine is rolled across the floor in a cleaner is used. Iron particles are attracted by the magnets I0 and drawn into the recess formed by the frame I and the non-magnetic plate 3. The magnetic lines of force from the permanent magnet extends to the floor which is swept and thereby draw up and retain the particles to the plate 3. Any type of the modern permanent magnets may be used for this purpose such as an l alloy of nickel called Alnico" or other very powerful permanent magnet material, many of which have recently been developed. It has been found that a considerable layer of iron particles, shavings, nuts, bolts, and the like may be drawn up by the permanent magnets in this manner. In order to release the materials which have been gathered, it is simply necessary to raise the lever to the dotted line position indicated in Figure 1. The magnet I0 will be raised and as a result of the angular rotation of the magnet, the lines of force emanating therefrom will no longer retain the' particles against the non-magnetic plate so that they are freed and drop out of the chamber.

In the modification of Figure 3 the frame of the machine is provided with a flange 20 from the side of which a supporting bearing 2| projects upon which the wheel or caster 22 is journalled. The wheel is of such a size that the bottom opening 24 in the frame is close to the floor so that the lines of force of the magnet will exert its effect more efficiently.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for picking up metallic`materials responsive to magnetic forces such as iron or the like comprising a frame having an opening at the bottom thereof, means supporting the said frame for pushing the same over a floor or the like, a cover of non-magnetic material covering said opening, a second hinged cover hinged at one end to said frame, a permanent magnet supported within said hinged cover and adapted to be raised in its operation with the magnet positioned over the first cover abutting and parallel thereto, said magnet being of such nature that when the cover is tilted on its hinge, particles held beneath the cover will be released.

2. A device for picking up metallic materials responsive to magnetic forces such as iron or the like comprising a frame of non-metallic material, roller means supporting said frame for permitting the same to roll over a floor to be swept, said frame having a central opening, a nonmetallic plate covering said opening, a nonmetallic cover hi-nged to said frame, a permanent magnet supported within said cover abutting said plate, a handle extending from said frame for 2,488,795 I 3 4 f manually pushing the frame over the iloor. a normally supported in a position over the first chain extending from said cover to said handle cover, abutting and parallel thereto. for tilting the cover in releasing materials picked ROBERT L. SJ OSTROM.

up by said machine.

3. A device for picking upv metallic materials ,I REFERENCES CITED responsive t0 magnetic fOrCeS Such as 11'011 -01 .the `The following references are of record in the like conprisiilg a frame having an openingh a" le of thispatent: n Y

the bo tom t ereof, means supporting t esai frame for pushing the same over a oor or the UNITED STATES PATENTS like, a. cover of non-magnetic material covering 10 Number Name Date said opening, a second cover supported on the 273,309 Rae Mar. 6, 1883 top of said frame, a permanent magnet mounted 1,137,492 Kidney Apr. 27, 1915 within said second cover, means for raising said 2,380,342. Stearns July 10, 1945 second cover and permanent magnet away from 1,561,077 Hisch Nov. 10, 1925 

